Liquid acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer modified nitrocellulose lacquer for finishing bowling lanes



United States Patent LIQUID ACRYLONITRILE-BUTADIENE COPOLY- MER MODIFIED NITROCELLULOSE LACQUER FOR FINISHING BOWLING LANES William D. Coder, Jr., Barrington, Milton A. Glaser, Winnetka, and Alex H. Stein, Waukegan, Ill., assignors, by mesne assignments, to The Dexter Corporation, a corporation of Connecticut No Drawing. Filed Mar. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 353,587

9 Claims. (Cl. 106195) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Disclosed is a nitrocellulose lacquer bowling lane finish containing from about 2 to 20 parts by weight of an acrylonitrile butadiene copolymer of about 25 to about 30% of acrylonitrile content per 100 parts of nitrocellulose. This finish provides improved ball control on bowling lanes.

This invention relates to a new and improved nitrocellulose lacquer for finishing bowling lanes, to use of the lacquer in finishing a bowling lane, and to a bowling lane finished with the lacquer. More particularly, the invention relates to a lacquer providing improved ball control on a bowling lane under the conditions of use.

Bowling lanes commonly are finished with wood finishing nitrocellulose lacquers which include a plasticizer for nitrocellulose and also may include a relatively small amount of a polyorganosiloxane as a flow control and slip agent. The lacquers are compounded with volatile liquids commonly termed lacquer thinners, which include true solvents, latent solvents, and diluents. The lacquers provide finish coats having good resistance to abrasion, dirt pickup and scufiing. In practice, a conditioner or dressing is applied to the bowling lane surfaces daily, for reducing wear and adjusting the slip qualities of the surfaces, and also for cleaning the surfaces.

The provision of bowling lane surfaces which furnish a suitable degree of ball control is a constant problem. The ball control varies from one alley to the next and from lane to lane. Consequently, bowlers must make adjustments to compensate for the differences in ball action, and the results are not always satisfactory.

It has now been discovered in accordance with the invention that improved ball control is achieved by incorporating in a nitrocellulose lacquer an acrylonitrilebutadiene copolymer. A bowling lane finished with the lacquer containing the copolymer gives the bowler greater control over the lateral movements of the ball. Thus, a hook bowler is better able to control the hooking action of the ball.

The wood finishing nitrocelulose lacquers as employed in the present invention preferably are compounded of RS nitrocellulose (11.8-12.2% nitrogen), having a viscosity of seconds, second, /2 second, or second. It is presently preferred to employ and/or /2 second RS nitrocellulose.

An acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer is employed that functions as a ball control agent under conditions of use. Preferably, it is a compatible medium-high acrylonitrile content liquid copolymer having a very low molecular weight. Such copolymers are commercially available, for example, under the trade name Hycar. The copolymer preferably is employed in a minor proportion relative to nitrocellulose, in the range of about 2-20 parts, more preferably 4-12 parts per 100 parts of nitrocellulose, by weight.

The lacquer preferably also contains a compatible polyorganosiloxane flow control agent. It is further pre- 3,402,057 Patented Sept. 17, 1968 ferred to employ a mixture of copolymeric and homopolymeric (herein refers to substantially homopolymeric) lower alkyl polysiloxanes. Desirable flow control properties are imparted to the lacquer while the ball control properties imparted to the lacquer finish by the acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer are retained.

Preferred polyorganosiloxanes include the methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl and amyl polysiloxane homopolymers and copolymers. A relatively small amount of polyorganosiloxane is employed, preferably an amount in the range of about 0.01l part, more preferably about 0.01-0.2 part per parts of nitrocellulose, by weight. It is further preferred to employ a mixture of fractional amounts of a copolymer and a homopolymer, including about 0.0l0.8 part, more preferably 0.0l.08 part of copolymer, and about 0.01-0.06 part of homopoly'mer per 100 parts of nitrocellulose, by weight. It is also preferred that the weight ratio coploymerzhomopolymer be a minimum of about 0.4: 1.

A preferred plasticizer is butyl acetyl ricinoleate. The plasticizer preferably is employed in a minor proportion relative to nitrocellulose, in the range of about 15-55, more preferably 2035 parts per 100 parts of nitrocellulose, by weight.

The lacquer thinner may include ketones such as methyl isobutyl ketone and diisobutyl ketone, hydrocarbons such as xylene, toluene and petroleum naphtha, esters such as ethyl acetate and butyl acetate, and alcohols such as ethyl alcohol and butyl alcohol. The quantity of thinner is such as to provide a total solids content preferably in the range of 525%, more preferably 1020% by weight. The viscosity of the lacquer preferably is in the range of 10- seconds, more preferably 20l00 seconds, No. 4 Ford cup at 77 F.

The lacquer may be applied to wooden surfaces, particularly bowling lane surfaces, in any suitable manner, such as by brushing, spraying, or applying with a drawbar applicator or lane finish applicator. One or several coats may be applied, allowing each coat to dry under ambient conditions before applying another coat. It is preferred that the complete finish coat on a bowling lane be about 3-4 mils thick when dry.

The following examples illustrate the invention. It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the examples or to the materials, proportions, conditions, and procedures employed therein. Unless otherwise stated, the proportions are by weight.

EXAMPLE 1 A lacquer having the following composition according to the invention was prepared by mixing the materials:

Composition A Material: Proportion, parts by wt. Nitrocellulose (RS /2 second) 134 Butyl acetyle ricinoleate 25.5 Acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer 9.5 Polyorganosiloxane solution 4.75 Xylene 317 Methyl isobutyl ketone 299 Diisobutyl ketone 45 1 70% nitrocellulose and 30% ethyl alcohol, by weight.

Hycar 1312, liquid copolymer containing 25-30% acrylonltrile by weight, containing Lil-1.7% sulfur, having annolecular weight of about 1500-2000 based on sulfur, essentlally free of extractible or volatile components, having a specific gravity of 0.96, and having the following viscoslties:

3 Composition: Xylene, 90 parts; dimethyl polysiloxane fluid (50 centistokes), 0.4 part; Dow Corning 6 Paint Additive, 9.5 parts (containing 6.65 parts toluene, 1.9 parts xylene, and 0.95 part of copolymerlc lower alkyl polysiloxanes) all parts by weight.

Brookfield viscosity the manner of Example 1 and likewise found to provide Temperature C.) No. 4 spindle (cps.) improved ball control:

30 100,000 50 20,0100 Composition C 70 5,500 Proportion, 90 2,000 Material: parts by wt.

The composition has a viscosity of about 33 seconds (No.

Nitrocellulose (RS /2 second) of Composition 4 Ford cup at 77 F.) and a non-volatile matter content A 121 of-about 15.5% by Weight. Nitrocellulose (RS /4 second) of Composition The foregoing lacquer was compared with a standard 0 B lacquer having the following typical composition: Blllyl acetyl ricinoleate 26-75 Acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer of Composi- Composition B tion A 4.75 M medal: Proportion parts by Polyorganosiloxane solution of Composition Nitrocellulose (RS /2 second) of Composition A- 108 15 P A T, T 77 Nitrocellulose4 (RS 1/4 second) o y ganoslioxane solution of Composition Butyl acetyl ricinoleate 28 2'125 Polyorganosiloxane solution 5 4.75 2 7 3185 Xylene 20 no g1 1 1ll yl ketone 297 Methyl isobutyl ketone 295 my! atone Diisobutyl ketone The viscosity of the composition was about 33 seconds 70% nitrocellulose and 30% ethyl alcohol, by weight. 5 2% dimethyl polysiloxane fluid (100 contistokes) and 98% xylene, by weight.

(No. 4 Ford cup at 77 F.), and the non-volatile matter content was about 15.5% by weight. 25 The foregoing detailed description has been given for Films about 3 mils thick were formed with the lacquers clarity of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitaand were subjected to a group of tests for determining tions should be understood therefrom, as modifications their properties, with the following results:

Ball Impact Test 1 Ball Sward Taber Drop Rocker Abrasion Dirt Scufiing 1 Test 4 Hardness 5 Test 6 1 This is a bowling ball impact test with the lacquer film applied to a 1 inch thick maple wood block Ten tight ball bump tests from 3 in. in height at one second intervals with a 16 lb. ball with an arm weighing 7 lbs. 11 025. and an extra weight of five lbs. (total weight of 28 lbs. 11 ozs.). The ball is allowed no rotational freedom.

2 Dirt pick-up by film in the impact test. The number 10 designates no dirt pick-up and the lower numbers designate various comparative levels of dirt pick-up.

The degree of smiling on the film in the impact test. The number 10 designates no scufiing and the lower numbers designate various comparative levels of scuffing.

4 A 16 lb. bowling ball is dropped from a height of 18 inches to determine cracking of the film on a 1 inch thick maple wood block. The number 10 designates no cracking and the lower numbers designate various levels of cracking.

1 This 1is the film hardness designation as compared with polished plate glass with a va ue o 00.

6 The value given is in milligrams of film loss per 1,000 cycles of wear using 0810 abrader wheels with 1,000 gm. weights.

1 This value was obtained on a tensile strength test device and represents the force in pounds per square inch required to break the film.

8 The percent elongation is the percent of stretch which takes place in the film during the tensile strength test at the breaking time of the film.

This value is derived by causing a weighted sled, with the sliding surface composed of bowling ball stock, to slide over the dried lacquer film applied on a glass panel. It is the ratio of the weight required to pull the sled to the total weight of the sled.

The coefficient of friction is determined over the dry film.

The coefficient of friction is determined over the same film alter treating with a conditioncr containing mineral oil.

The properties of the film produced with the new lac- We claim: quer compared very favorably with those of the standard 00 1. A wood finishing nitrocellulose lacquer suitable for lacquer film. The dry film coefficient of friction of the application to bowling lanes containing, in parts per 100 new lacquer was substantially increased over that of the parts of nitrocellulose by Weight, about 4-12 parts of a standard lacquer. When the new lacquer was employed to liquid acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer of about 25-30% finish the surfaces of bowling lanes, and the lanes were by weight acrylonitrile content.

conditioned in the usual manner (e.g., coated with mineral 2. A Wood finishing nitrocellulose lacquer suitable for il dr i it wa ob d that th bowler had greater application to bowling lanes containing 100 parts of nitrocontrol over the lateral movements of the ball. It appears Cellulosfi y Weight, about 240 Parts of a liquid acfylothat the improved results are related to the coefficient of ni ile-butadiene copolymer of about 25-30% by weight friction of the film. However, it is to be understood that acrylonltfile Contentthe invention is not limited to the apparent reasons for A Wood finishing nitrocellulose lacquer suitable the improved results and there is no intention to be bound appllwtlon l0 bowling lanes Containing, in Proportions y th b weight, 100 parts of nitrocellulose, about 20-35 parts of EXAMPLE 2 will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

butyl acetyl ricinoleate, about 4-12 parts of a liquid acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer of about 25-30% The following lacquer composition was employed in acrylonitrile content, about 0.01-0.08 part of a copoly meric lower alkyl polysiloxane flow control agent, about 0.01-0.06 part of a hornopolymeric lower alkyl polysiloxane flow control agent, and a lacquer thinner to provide a total solids content of about 5-25 4. A wood finishing nitrocellulose lacquer suitable for application to bowling lanes containing 100 parts by weight of nitrocellulose, about 2-20 parts of a liquid acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer ball control agent, said copolymer being about 25-30% by weight acrylonitrile, and a polyorganosiloxane flow control agent.

5. A wood finishing nitrocellulose lacquer suitable for application to bowling lanes containing 100 parts of nitrocellulose by weight, about 2-20 parts of a liquid acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer of about 25-30% by weight acrylonitrile content, about 0.01-0.8 part of a copolymeric lower alkyl polysiloxane flow control agent, and about 0.01-0.06 part of a hornopolymeric lower alkyl polysiloxane flow control agent.

6. A Wood finishing nitrocellulose lacquer suitable for application to bowling lanes containing 100 parts of nitrocellulose by weight, about 2-20 parts of a liquid acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer ball control agent, said copolymer being about 25-30% by weight acrylonitrile, about 0.01-1 part of a polyorganosiloxane flow control agent, and about 15-55 parts of a plasticizer for nitrocellulose.

7. A bowling lane having a surface coat of a wood finishing nitrocellulose lacquer containing parts of nitrocellulose by weight, about 2-20 parts of a liquid acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer of about 25-30% by weight acrylonitrile content.

8. A bowling lane having a surface coat of a wood finishing nitrocellulose lacquer containing 100 parts by weight of nitrocellulose, about 2-20 parts by weight of a liquid acrylonitrile-butadiene copolymer ball control agent, said copolymer being about 25-30% by weight acrylonitrile and a polyorganosiloxane flow control agent.

9. A bowling lane having a surface coat of a wood finishing nitrocellulose lacquer containing 100 parts by weight of nitrocellulose, about 2-20 parts of a liquid acrylonitrile butadiene copolymer of about 25-30% by weight acrylonitrile content, and relatively small amounts of copolymeric lower alkyl polysiloxane and homopolymeric lower alkyl polysiloxane flow control agents. 

